Spray-producer



Oct, 22, 1963 K. FLURY r 3,107,857

. SPRAY-PRODUCER Filed June 20, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventoilfrZ FZw-y K. FLURY Oct. 22, 1963 SPRAY-PRODUCER 2 Sh eets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1961 drag-I United States Patent 1 3,197,857 SERAY-PRGDUCER Karl Flory, A" 'swil, Zurich, wltzcrland, assignor to Defensor Aktiengesellschait, Zurich, Switzerland Filed June 28, Bell, Ser. No. 11%,445 Claims priority, application Switzerland lune 21, 1958 Z (Iiaims. (Ct. 23216) This invention relates to a sprayproducer having an outer casing with an air inlet and a spray outlet, which encloses a spaced coaxial inner casing for forming an outlet duct for the atomized spray, which casing has arranged therein a driving motor for a rotary or centrifugal disk that is surrounded by a stationary bafiie ring, is provided on its underside with fan vanes for delivering air through the outlet duct, and is at its center connected to a suction tube dipping into a container for a liquid and is capable of delivering liquid to the top side of the centrifugal disk.

Such spray-producers are known and serve, for instance, for air humidification in rooms.

Now the present invention aims at a design of a sprayproducer of the type such as to be capable, in view of its easy manufacture and convenient cleaning in operation, of being readily dismantled and reassembled by unskilled people without the help of tools. Thereby the dismantling shall further permit of appreciably reducing the volume of the packaging required for transport and consignment of the apparatus. Another aim of the invention is that, despite the fact that the apparatus can be dismantled easily, undesired and disturbing noises arising when the apparatus is in operation are largely suppressed.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows, purely by way of example, one preferred form of embodiment incorp0rat ing the invention.

FIG. 1 shows partly in side view and partly in vertical section a spray-producer which can be put on a supporting surface, say, a table, and

FIG. 2 shows, partly in vertical section, details of the same spray-producer, on a larger scale and in perspective view.

The sprayaproducer illustrated has at the bottom a basinlike liquid receptacle 1% which, preferably, consists of synthetic resin or the like. Between the upwardly extending circumferential wall 11 and the base 12, the receptacle includes a substantially horizontal portion 13 which is resilient in the vertical direction.

The upper peripheral rim of wall 1-1 has loosely and removably placed thereon a carrier ring 15 which'is also made of a synthetic resin or the like. From the outer wall 16 of the carrier ring 15 rogularly spaced and radially-extending ribs 17 are provided with which said ring, except for the air inlets 18, is supported on receptacle 1%). The ribs 17 terminate internally on a cylindrical wall 19 which extends at some distance within the openings 18, shielding the same from the direct exit of noises from the apparatus.

The carrier ring 15 has mounted thereon another ci-rcular structure 29 which comprises a substantially cylindrical outer wall 21 and, spaced therefrom, a substantially cylindrical inner wall 22,. The walls 21 and 22 are interconnected by a series of radially running webs 23. Adjoining the bottom edge of the inner wall 22 is a substantially horizontal inturned flange 24- which, through an interposed rubber ring 25, supports an outer flange of an electric motor 26. On the top side of flange 2 there are several pegs 28 over each of which a clamping disk 29 is pushed. Said disks 2.9 are adapted to press a rubber ring 30 from above onto the outer flange of motor 26 so as to retain the latter between the two rubber rings 25 and 39. Located beneath the motor 25 is a casing part '32 which consists of a synthetic resin or the like and is likewise "ice retained by an outer flange clamped between the rubber rings 25 and 30. In its center the casing part 32 is apertured to permit the motor shaft 33 to pass through. The inner wall 22 has further connected thereto a hoodshaped casing part 34.

The substantially cylindrical inner wall 22, its flange 2d, the casing part 32 and hood-shaped casing part 34 together constitute an inner casing of the spray-producer surrounding the motor.

The substantially cylindrical outer wall 21 has connected thereto an annular casing part 35 which, together with the outer wall 21, forms an outer casing of the sprayproducer which coaxially surrounds with clearance the inner casing 22, 24, 32, 34. Provided between the outer casing 21, 35 md inner casing 22, v24', 32, 34 there is an outlet duct 36 with an outlet opening 37 for the atomized spray to be produced. Through the aforementioned webs 23 the outer casing and inner casing are joined to a structural 'unit which is loosely and removably placed on the carrier ring d5.

Between the place on which said structural unit is supported on the carrier ring 15 and the circumferential wall 16 or shielding wall 19, said ring has a substantially horizontal portion 38 which is resilient in the vertical direc- 'tion.

At the junction of the substantially cylindrical inner wall 22 and the flange 24 there is fixed a baffle ring 4%) which surrounds the rotary disk 41 with clearance. Said disk is connected through some radial webs '41 to a hub 43 which is seated on motor shaft 33. Screwed on'a threaded portion 44 of shaft '33 is a nut piece 45 which presses against the inner circumferential rim of the disk 41, thus holding the hub 43 against a spreader ring 46 secured oo the shaft 33. Said nut piece 4-5 is provided with a plurality of axially throughgoing recesses 47 and consists of synthetic resin or the like. interposed between hub 43 and nut piece 45 is a two-stage labyrinth packing 43 adapted to prevent liquid from reaching the motor shaft 33. A suction tube 49, which is open at both ends and projects downwards almost to the floor of container 10, is removably attached to the lower end of the nut piece 45 through a plug-and-socket connection.

The rotary disk 41 has at its underside a plurality of fan vanes 51 adapted to deliver air through the outlet duct 36. Moreover, said disk 4-1 is provided with several air openings 52 which are each surrounded by a collar 53 that is arranged on said disk and, in plan, is substantially horseshoe-shaped with the open end radially outwards. As viewed in the direction of disk 41, the air openings 52 each lie directly in front of one of the fan vanes 51. Resting on the upper rim of all collars 53 is an annular disk 55 which is integral with the disk 41 and whose inner rim snugly fits the hub 53 of disk 41. Between the part 32 of the inner casing 22, 24, 32 and 34 and the unit formed of the centrifugal disk 41 and annular disk 55 there are provided several labyrinth packings 56, 57, 58 which are disposedconcentrically and adapted to prevent liquid reaching the motor shaft 33. The ribs of the labyrinth packings, formed on the annular disk 55 and hub 43, increase in height towards the shaft 53. Preferably, both the disk 41 and its hub 43 as well as the annular disk 55 consist of synthetic resin or the like.

At some distance below the centrifugal disk 41 there is a conical portion 60 of abatlle for the air currents produced by the fan vanes 51.

By an upwardly leading arcuate section 61 said air baflle adjoins outside to the substantially cylindrical outer wall 21 of the cylindrical outer wall 21 of the outer casing 21, 35. Between the conical portion 60 and the arcuate section 63 there is provided a circumferentially extending trough 62 adapted to collect liquid drops. Said trough is relatively narrow and deep so that the air flow passes thereover without notable air eddies being formed therein. The arcuate section of the air bafile is fitted with a number of radially arranged stationary vanes 63 which lie in a spray-free zone of the air flow and serve for stabilizing the same against movement in the peripheral direction. Several nipples 64- are connected to the collecting trough 62 for diverting liquid into the receptacle 10. The air ballle comprising the sections 68, 61, as Well as the trough 62, vanes 63 and nipples 64 are parts of the carrier ring 15. Said nipples are each extended downwards by a tubular piece 65 which is removably attached through a plug-and-socket connection and reaches almost to the lloor of container ll).

The suction pipe 49 is surrounded with clearance by a sludge separator 68 which is centrally located in the conical bafi'le section 60. Said separator is removably fixed through a plug-ancl-socket connection to a ring d9 which, by means of webs 70, is joined to the conical bafile section 66.

A float 72 adapted to indicate the liquid level is connected to an upwardly extending bolt '73 having at its top a thickened head 74. The substantially horizontal section 38 of the carrier ring 15 has located therein a sleeve 75 which is open at top and bottom and serves for guiding the head 74. A construction at the bottom of sleeve 75 prevents said head from sliding downwards out thereof.

The action of the aforedescribed rotary sprayer is as follows: Through an opening 37, a liquid, say water, to be atomized is poured in and collects in container 10. When the liquid reaches a certain level, the float 72 is lifted, whereby the head of bolt 73 emerges from the top of the carrier ring 15 to indicate that the container 10 is filled to the maximum admissible level. When the apparatus is put in operation by switching on the motor 26, the fan vanes 51 produce an air flow through the outlet duct 36. Air is drawn in through the ports 18 and discharged through the opening 37. Further, liquid will be delivered upwards through the gyrating suction pipe 49 and directed through the recesses 47 in not piece 45 to the top' of the centrifugal disk 41. By means of disk 41 the liquid is ejected, whereby a liquid film arises and travels beyond the outer rim of disk 41 where it is broken partly by centrifugal action and pmtly by the air flow. A part of the liquid droplets is then carried away directly by the air flow and the other part is further broken up at the laminae of the baille rim iii. The air flow carries the spray produced out of the apparatus through the duct 36 and outlet 37. The action so far described is known per se.

In spray producers of similar type known heretofore, no air openings 52 were provided in the centrifugal disk 41. Above said disk there occurred a partial vacuum that caused a part of the spray produced to be drawn radially inwards through the battle ring 40. Instead of this part 'of the spray being likewise blown out of, the apparatus, it whirled about in an undesired manner within the apparatus, whereby mechanical power was dissipated unnecessarily. However, in the spray producer disclosed hereinbefore, part of the air flow caused by the fan vanes 51 passes through the openings in the centrifugal disk 41 to its upper side, whence it flows radially out through the bafile rim 40 into the outlet duct 36. Hence no spray will be drawn back, but is all blown out of the apparatus. The collars 53 prevent the liquid flowing off from the upper side of the centrifugal disk 41 through the openings 52, in that said collars direct the liquid coming onto the disk 41 around the openings 52 (around the openings 52), as illustrated in FIG. 2 by the solid arrows, while the air flow is indicated by the open arrows.

The air baffie comprising the sections 60 and 61 directs the air flow passing under the disk 41 into the outlet duct with practically no eddying. Especially in the collecting trough 62 no notable air eddies will form because of its narrow width. Thus also mechanical energy will be saved and a more elficient blowing out of the spray be achieved. The stationary vanes 63 prevent the air flow from whirling circumferentially. In contrast to embodiment of the type known heretofore, in the present invention the vanes are arranged at a place where the air flow is free from spray. In this way, no spray droplets will be thrown towards the vanes by the whirling air flow.

The structural unit comprising the outer casing 21, 35 and inner casing 22, 24, 32, 34 and which has connected thereto the bafile rim 40, centrifugal disk 41, nut piece 45 and dip tube 49, is supported on the base through the interposed resiliently-designed sections 38 and 13 of. the carrier 15 and container 10 respectively. Thus vertical components of oscillation of the atomizer unit 4-0, 4 1 are prevented from reaching the base so that the latter does not oscillate, thereby achieving a substantial reduction in noise.

A further reduction in noise results from the provision of the air openings 52in the centrifugal disk 41. Surprisingly, it was found that with increasing size of said openings the atomizer noise due to breaking up the liquid film is greatly reduced. On the other hand, the noise due to,

the increased air flow is greater. Now it is possible to dimension the air openings 52 so that, compared with the case where no openings are provided, a substantial reduction in the atomizer noise results with no notable increase in the air noise. 7

The atoredescribed liquid level indication is characterized by its great simplicity and reliability. t

As the labyrinth packings 48, 56, 57, 58 prevent liquid from reaching the motor shaft 33, and as the parts 32, 43, 45 and 55 are made of electrically insulating material, such as synthetic resin, there is full protection against accidental shock, even if the motor shaft for any reason should come into contact with the electric conductors of the motor.

Another merit of the described apparatus is seen in that its volume may be substantially reduced for transport purposes. To this end, the container 10 is put upside down over the top parts 35 and 34 of the outer and inner casings, and the tubular pieces 65, sludge separator 68 and tip tube or suction cone 49 are removed. In this way the overall vertical dimension of the apparatus may be reduced to about /s. i

For cleaning purposes, the apparatus may be readily dismantled without the help of .tools by lifting, for instance, the outer and inner casings together with the atomizer rim 4i), centrifugal disk 41, nut piece 45 and dip tube 49 bodily off the carrier ring 15, whereupon the atomizer ring 40, that is the main part subject to dirtying, may be cleaned easily. Then the carrier ring 15 may be removed alone or together with the parts of container 10 supported thereon. If desired, the centrifugal disk may be removed 1 from the shaft 33 by unscrewing the nut piece 45 from the threaded portion 44.

Furthermore, the apparatus described and illustrated presents another advantage in that it may be manufactured in large quantities at comparatively low cost.

We wish to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1 Spray producer comprising an inner casing, an outer casing spaced from the inner casing and having an air inlet and a spray outlet with the space between the easings forming an outlet duct for the atomized spray, a centrifugal disk, adriving motor connected to the centrifugal disk *andprovided within the inner casings a-stationary baffle ring provided around the disk, said disk being provided on its underside with ventilator vanes for delivering air through the outlet duct, a container for a liquid provided as a base for the spray producer, said disk at its center being connected to a suction tube which dips into the liquid container and is capable of delivering the liquid to the top side of said disk having arranged at a distance beneath thereof a conical portion of a bafie for the air flow produced by said vanes, said baflle forming part of a carrier ring having an outer peripheral rim loosely seated on the rim of the basin-shaped liquid container While leaving air inlets, said casings being interconnected by radial Webs to a structural unit provided on said carrier ring, and the carrier ring between its outer peripheral rim and the place on which the structural unit of the casings is supported including a substantially horizontal portion which is resilient in the vertical direction, said bafile adjoining the outer casing wall by an upwardly leading arcu ate portion, a circumferentially extending collecting trough is provided to collect liquid drops and arranged between said conical portion of the baffle and the arcuate 15 portion, said collecting trough being so narrow as to allow the air to flow thereover practically free from eddies, and a substantially cylindrical wall provided on the carrier ring in a vertical direction spaced Within the air inlet and adapted to shield from direct exit of sound.

2. Spray producer according to claim 1, in which the 'arcuate portion of the baffle includes stationary v-anes in the spray-free zone of the air flow for stabilizing the same against movement in the peripheral direction.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,874,797 Flury Feb. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,180,567 Fnance Dec. 29, 1958 

1. SPRAY PRODUCER COMPRISING AN INNER CASING, AN OUTER CASING SPACED FROM THE INNER CASING AND HAVING AN AIR INLET AND A SPRAY OUTLET WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CASINGS FORMING AN OUTLET DUCT FOR THE ATOMIZED SPRAY, A CENTRIFUGAL DISK, A DRIVING MOTOR CONNECTED TO THE CENTRIFUGAL DISK AND PROVIDED WITHIN THE INNER CASINGS A STATIONARY BAFFLE RING PROVIDED AROUND THE DISK, SAID DISK BEING PROVIDED ON ITS UNDERSIDE WITH VENTILATOR VANES FOR DELIVERING AIR THROUGH THE OUTLET DUCT, A CONTAINER FOR A LIQUID PROVIDED AS A BASE FOR THE SPRAY PRODUCER, SAID DISK AT ITS CENTER BEING CONNECTED TO A SUCTION TUBE WHICH DIPS INTO THE LIQUID CONTAINER AND IS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING THE LIQUID TO THE TOP SIDE OF SAID DISK HAVING ARRANGED AT A DISTANCE BENEATH THEREOF A CONICAL PORTION OF A BAFFLE FOR THE AIR FLOW PRODUCED BY SAID VANES, SAID BAFFLE FORMING PART OF A CARRIER RING HAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL RIM LOOSELY SEATED ON THE RIM OF THE BASIN-SHAPED LIQUID CONTAINER WHILE LEAVING AIR INLETS, SAID CASINGS BEING INTERCONNECTED BY RADIAL WEBS TO A STRUCTURAL UNIT PROVIDED ON SAID CARRIER RING, AND THE CARRIER RING BETWEEN ITS OUTER PERIPHERAL RIM AND THE PLACE ON WHICH THE STRUCTUAL UNIT OF THE CASINGS IS SUPPORTED INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PORTION WHICH IS RESILIENT IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION, SAID BAFFLE ADJOINING THE OUTER CASING WALL BY AN UPWARDLY LEADING ARCUATE PORTION, A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING COLLECTING TROUGH IS PROVIDED TO COLLECT LIQUID DROPS AND ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID CONICAL PORTION OF THE BAFFLE AND THE ARCUATE PORTION, SAID COLLECTING TROUGH BEING SO NARROW AS TO ALLOW THE AIR TO FLOW THEREOVER PRACTICALLY FREE FROM EDDIES, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL WALL PROVIDED ON THE CARRIER RING IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION SPACED WITHIN THE AIR INLET AND ADAPTED TO SHIELD FROM DIRECT EXIT OF SOUND. 